Israel was an agricultural nation. The nation was established in the land of promise, with every tribe and family being apportioned land so that they would cultivate the soil and feed their herds and their flocks. Indeed the concept of the term “Promised Land” had two principle ideas – a land that had the promise of worship and material plenty.

In this Psalm these two ideas come together as David celebrates the harvest. This Psalm was written for the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. This was one of the religious gatherings when the people devoted time to worship. Falling in the autumn the Feast of Tabernacles was the harvest feast when the people praised God for His supply throughout another year. During the seven days of the feast the Jews dwelt in little booths when they remembered the deprivations of the wilderness, rejoicing in what they now possessed.

Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. (Leviticus 23:39-41)

WORSHIPPING THE GRACIOUS GOD

Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed. O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. (Psalm 65:1-4

The dominant theme in the opening of the Psalm is God’s mercy. David conscious of his sin, comes before the Lord with confidence that his sins had been purged away.

The Hebrew word translated “purge” is ‘kopher’ which literally means to cover. This is the word atonement. God atones or covers the sins of His people. The word atone is linked to the Mercy Seat, which covered the Ark of the Covenant. It was known as the Mercy Seat because it separated Israel from the justice of God, represented by the Ten Commandments preserved within the Ark. Once a year the blood was sprinkled upon this Mercy Seat to atone for the sins of Israel. This day was called the Day of Atonement.

This is only one of three occasions when the word ‘kopher’ is employed in the entire Psalm Book ; it is employed within the context of public worship.

God was waiting in Mount Zion for His people to come and praise Him for His forgiving nature. In like manner God waits every day for our private praises and every Sabbath for our public gratitude. As we come we take time to thank Him for the blood of Christ, of which the Day of Atonement is the great anti-type.

David was humbled by the privilege of worshipping God, as verse 4 articulates. God chose him and caused him to come for worship. We only draw near to God as an elect people because the Holy Ghost has stirred our hearts to exercise our souls in worship.

True worship in the Spirit is truly satisfying. Through worship our souls are filled with goodness of God.

WORSHIPPING THE GLORIOUS GOD

By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea: Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power: Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people. They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. (Psalm 65:5-8)

As David worshipped he was incredibly mindful of the One he was standing before.

As He prayed there was a recognition that God could respond in terrible ways. He is the Holy One who intervenes in the affairs of men with chastening and judgment. But He always acts in righteousness.

The God of salvation was the creator and governor of the entire world. As a King who presided over a nation saturated by the power and grandeur of nature David thought on the mountains and the sea as well as the dawn and the sunset and in so doing he saw the handiwork of God everywhere.

Many years earlier as a shepherd boy David had learned lessons about God from the sheep and the shepherding. These earthly experiences, learned in youth, never left his heart, shaping his entire life.

Likewise in our worship we must give due reverence to the grandeur and majesty of God being humbled that He is our God, our Father and our Saviour. We can meditate upon Him gazing at the night sky, overlooking a peaceful stream or by simply admiring the colours of the delicate flower. God is not nature as the Pantheist would assert but his handiwork is ever present in nature. On this account creation is our teacher manifesting the awesome power and glory of God. William Blake certainly agreed with David when he wrote:

"To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand 
And Eternity in an hour."

WORSHIPPING THE GENEROUS GOD

Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing. (Psalm 65:9-13)

This is one of the most eloquent descriptions of harvest in the Psalms. It is a passage full of vibrancy and joy. Also, and preeminently, these verses are a recognition of the giving hand of God.

On nine occasions the pronoun “thou” is employed. God visited the earth, He watered, He prepared the corn, He watered the ridges, He made the ground soft with showers and He crowned the year with His goodness.

In a hot eastern country prone to long spells of dry weather there is particular emphasis upon the provision of water. This supply comes from the “river of God which is full of water”. When the rivers were running dry and the fields appeared parched the river of God was full, ready to be released according to the timing of the Master.

…the divine resources are exhaustless

Joseph Addison Alexander

There was never any reason to be dismayed or alarmed – the Lord was in control.

As David looked out at the pastures clothed with flocks and the valleys covered with corn it was if all nature was singing at harvest time. He too was singing. GOd had not failed. The harvest had come in. The people would go hungry. This was a season for special thanksgiving.

This Psalm certainly teaches us not to grumble nor are we to despair when the weather is not to our pleasing. He controls the wind and the clouds. The elements are in the palm of His hand.

Weather, that we consider to be adverse, will not frustrate the purpose of God because ultimately He controls the climate. His purpose is clear – summer and winter, seed time and harvest will not cease. There may be times of drought and famine but there will continue to be sufficient harvests to feed the world. Just as Joseph taught Egypt to prepare for famine so we are taught that when people starve this is because of man’s inability to prepare or share – it is never a reflection on His provision. There is more than enough resources in the world today to feed the billions. We have good reason to praise God.

…intelligent, loving and free, God rules in all, and over all, and above all

Samuel Martin

Today we acknowledge that we have more than enough. God has supplied our need according to His riches in glory. This has been in the past and forever will be in the future.

This Psalm also presents a view of human responsibility within the context of God’s sovereignty. God sends the rain and makes the sun shine but the farmer must plant the seeds and gather in the harvest. He has made us responsible and accountable beings whose task it is to exercise wisdom with a humble reliance upon God.

These words also give the lie to the climate change cult. Today we are constantly taught that man has the power to bring the world to a sudden and abrupt end. Yes – man does not manage creation as well as He should but the course of nature is not about man but God. If the polar caps melt, if sea levels rise – God is in control. We are not dominated by the man centred view of life but that which is God framed. We rest on Him.

What is true of the food on the table is also true of every one of individual needs. Every circumstance in our lives bears the finger prints of God. On occasions he presses heavily upon the vessels of clay. But His purpose will not be thwarted. His infinite resources are directed towards us as daily loads us with benefits.

The Psalm concludes first of all with a description of the year being crowned with goodness. From the beginning to the end we are the recipients of the goodness of God. Finally David poetically depicts the very valley clothed with corn singing – all of creation reflects the bountiful generosity of God. So should our humble and grateful hearts.